The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemumxc3x97morifolium and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Yomankatoxe2x80x99.
The new Chrysanthemum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Fort Myers, Fla. and Salinas, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new potted Chrysanthemum cultivars that are suitable for year-round production with uniform plant growth habit, good vigor, desirable inflorescence form and floret colors, fast response time, and good postproduction longevity.
The new Chrysanthemum originated from a cross made by the Inventor in March, 1997, in Salinas, Calif., of a proprietary Chrysanthemum seedling selection identified as code number YB-3463, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Chrysanthemum cultivar Yolafayette, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,756, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross grown in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif. The selection of this plant was based on its uniform plant growth habit, desirable inflorescence form and floret colors, fast response time, and excellent postproduction longevity.
Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by vegetative tip cuttings was first conducted in Fort Myers, Fla. in June, 1998. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar Yomankato has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength, and/or light level, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Yomankatoxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Yomankatoxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct Chrysanthemum:
1. Uniform and upright plant habit.
2. Strong and freely branching growth habit.
3. Dark green foliage.
4. Uniform and freely flowering habit.
5. Can be grown as a disbud or spray-type.
6. Early flowering, eight-week response time.
7. Anemone-type inflorescences that are about 8.25 cm in diameter.
8. Pure white-colored ray florets with disc florets that are initially green, then with development, white with yellow apices.
9. Good postproduction longevity with plants maintaining good substance and color for about three to four weeks in an interior environment.
Compared to plants of the female parent selection, plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more freely branching, are more compact and have smaller inflorescences.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of the male parent, the cultivar Yolafayette, in inflorescence type and ray floret coloration as plants of the new Chrysanthemum have anemone-type inflorescences with white ray florets whereas plants of the cultivar Yolafayette have daisy-type inflorescences with yellow ray florets. In addition, plants of the new Chrysanthemum have larger inflorescences than plants of the cultivar Yolafayette.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the cultivar Shasta, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,314, a daisy-type Chrysanthemum. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Shasta in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had stronger and darker green foliage than plants of the cultivar Shasta.
2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had larger inflorescences than plants of the cultivar Shasta.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can also be compared to plants of the cultivar White Blush, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No 9,441, a daisy-type Chrysanthemum. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar White Blush in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had stronger, more durable, foliage than plants of the cultivar White Blush.
2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had smaller inflorescences than plants of the cultivar White Blush.